IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the editor for Feb. 2, 2013

Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 9:28 p.m.

Why blame guns?

In response to the articles “Even the U.S. Army has gun control regs” by Bob Logston and “Desensitized by the ‘assault rifle mentality’” by Albert Simmons (Jan. 20), I am a Coast Guard veteran with over 20 years of service. I am also a retired federal law enforcement officer.

I must agree with Mr. Logston — weapons are locked by any armed service to keep unauthorized persons from gaining access to them. Instead of gun control, we should be talking about safeguarding these responsibly.

No mention has been made of .50-caliber machine guns or bazookas. Fully automatic weapons have been prohibited in the United States since 1934.

The term “assault weapon” was rarely used in the United States prior to the 1980s, when gun control political efforts first emerged. Fully automatic weapons may fire upwards of 950 rounds per minute. Semiautomatic weapons, the kind that may be purchased legally, may fire 45 to 60 rounds per second. To exchange a magazine takes a couple of seconds, if that much, depending on the skill of the person.

Firearms of any kind kill. Video games and movies are very violent and graphic. To place the blame on these is absurd.

As one of the writers stated, a rabbi said no inanimate object is evil in and of itself. Why blame guns?

Luis M. Santiago

BM1 U.S. Coast Guard, Retired

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer, Retired

Ocala

Counseling the key

How can we prevent mass killings of innocent people who were unknown to their perpetrators? What do we know?

We know they were males, 13 years old to mid-40s in age. They had emotional problems, some longstanding. Unlike political or hate crimes, etc., which targeted specific people, we know they targeted a location and went there to kill as many people as possible. We know their weapons of choice in the last few years have been ones that delivered the most bullets in the shortest space of time.

We know their parents knew they were troubled and may have gotten counseling for them. If in school, their teachers, fellow students, and perhaps principal and counselor know about them. If at work or in the military, co-workers know about them. Those under the care of an analyst were most completely recorded, but because of privacy laws no one was informed as deterioration became acute. There was no intervention that we know of.

Most of the killers tried to communicate, writing manifestos, letters, messages on websites and telling friends about urges to kill. They freely bought bomb materials, easily obtained weapons at home or bought one, plus cartridges, elsewhere. They carried out their plans.

What can we do? Make it impossible for them to obtain weapons of mass destruction. Psychologists say early prevention is the key, so hire not police at schools but psychologists to rotate among schools who can help solve small problems and locate and treat growing ones. Let’s make counseling so commonplace it loses its “crazy” sting.

Gloria DeMartino

Ocala

Pay raise politics

I had just jumped off the turnip truck after attending a cow-pie- and road-apple-throwing contest (which is really popular in these parts) when I picked up the local paper and read that our illustrious leader, Gov. Rick Scott, has decided to give our teachers a much-deserved raise.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t he just a year ago turn his back on more money for Florida teachers?

What this raise business brings to mind for me is that Scott has fired his first shot at opening his campaign for his second term. What do ya think?

Leo Sehler

Ocala

Blair a good man

Congratulations, Marion County, on electing an outstanding citizen to be the new sheriff. Our Founding Fathers advised us to elect religious, moral and virtuous people.

Sheriff Chris Blair is a good, honest and decent man we can be proud of to lead the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Perhaps if the people had paid more attention, they would have seen that during his campaign he continued to actively raise funds for breast cancer awareness in Marion County, as well as for food collections for Our Brother’s Keeper.

The headache your writer is suffering from is as a result of “ostrich syndrome.” In other words, get your head out of the sand and elect people for the content of their character, not for their personality or color.

Sharyn J. Ruddick

Ocala

Road ‘beautification’

The Ocala City Council wants to beautify the city’s gateways, north and south. How about cleaning up all the lousy, lazy, self-centered people attempting to drive in the city? That would be a great way to start the beautification.

<p><b>Why blame guns? </b></p><p>In response to the articles “Even the U.S. Army has gun control regs” by Bob Logston and “Desensitized by the 'assault rifle mentality'” by Albert Simmons (Jan. 20), I am a Coast Guard veteran with over 20 years of service. I am also a retired federal law enforcement officer.</p><p>I must agree with Mr. Logston — weapons are locked by any armed service to keep unauthorized persons from gaining access to them. Instead of gun control, we should be talking about safeguarding these responsibly.</p><p>No mention has been made of .50-caliber machine guns or bazookas. Fully automatic weapons have been prohibited in the United States since 1934.</p><p>The term “assault weapon” was rarely used in the United States prior to the 1980s, when gun control political efforts first emerged. Fully automatic weapons may fire upwards of 950 rounds per minute. Semiautomatic weapons, the kind that may be purchased legally, may fire 45 to 60 rounds per second. To exchange a magazine takes a couple of seconds, if that much, depending on the skill of the person.</p><p>Firearms of any kind kill. Video games and movies are very violent and graphic. To place the blame on these is absurd.</p><p>As one of the writers stated, a rabbi said no inanimate object is evil in and of itself. Why blame guns?</p><p><i>Luis M. Santiago</p><p>BM1 U.S. Coast Guard, Retired</p><p>U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer, Retired</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Counseling the key</b></p><p>How can we prevent mass killings of innocent people who were unknown to their perpetrators? What do we know?</p><p>We know they were males, 13 years old to mid-40s in age. They had emotional problems, some longstanding. Unlike political or hate crimes, etc., which targeted specific people, we know they targeted a location and went there to kill as many people as possible. We know their weapons of choice in the last few years have been ones that delivered the most bullets in the shortest space of time.</p><p>We know their parents knew they were troubled and may have gotten counseling for them. If in school, their teachers, fellow students, and perhaps principal and counselor know about them. If at work or in the military, co-workers know about them. Those under the care of an analyst were most completely recorded, but because of privacy laws no one was informed as deterioration became acute. There was no intervention that we know of.</p><p>Most of the killers tried to communicate, writing manifestos, letters, messages on websites and telling friends about urges to kill. They freely bought bomb materials, easily obtained weapons at home or bought one, plus cartridges, elsewhere. They carried out their plans.</p><p>What can we do? Make it impossible for them to obtain weapons of mass destruction. Psychologists say early prevention is the key, so hire not police at schools but psychologists to rotate among schools who can help solve small problems and locate and treat growing ones. Let's make counseling so commonplace it loses its “crazy” sting.</p><p><i>Gloria DeMartino</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Pay raise politics</b></p><p>I had just jumped off the turnip truck after attending a cow-pie- and road-apple-throwing contest (which is really popular in these parts) when I picked up the local paper and read that our illustrious leader, Gov. Rick Scott, has decided to give our teachers a much-deserved raise.</p><p>Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he just a year ago turn his back on more money for Florida teachers?</p><p>What this raise business brings to mind for me is that Scott has fired his first shot at opening his campaign for his second term. What do ya think?</p><p><i>Leo Sehler</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Blair a good man</b></p><p>Congratulations, Marion County, on electing an outstanding citizen to be the new sheriff. Our Founding Fathers advised us to elect religious, moral and virtuous people.</p><p>Sheriff Chris Blair is a good, honest and decent man we can be proud of to lead the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Perhaps if the people had paid more attention, they would have seen that during his campaign he continued to actively raise funds for breast cancer awareness in Marion County, as well as for food collections for Our Brother's Keeper.</p><p>The headache your writer is suffering from is as a result of “ostrich syndrome.” In other words, get your head out of the sand and elect people for the content of their character, not for their personality or color.</p><p><i>Sharyn J. Ruddick</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Road 'beautification'</b></p><p>The Ocala City Council wants to beautify the city's gateways, north and south. How about cleaning up all the lousy, lazy, self-centered people attempting to drive in the city? That would be a great way to start the beautification.</p><p><i>David Breen</p><p>Ocala</i></p>